Recovery School Enrollment Process

A student may enroll in the recovery high school under the program if the following apply:

The student resides in a school district of the first class, which has approved the student's enrollment in the recovery high school under the program and, with the written consent of the student's parent or guardian, has applied for enrollment in the recovery high school on the student's behalf.

If fewer than 20 students residing in a school district of the first class enroll in the recovery high school under the program at any time, a student who resides in a school district other than a school district of the first class may enroll in the recovery high school under the program if the student's resident school district has approved the student's enrollment in the recovery high school under the program and, with the written consent of the student's parent or guardian, has applied for enrollment in the recovery high school on the student's behalf.

The student has at least 30 days of sobriety at the time of application for enrollment.

The student commits to participate in a recovery plan, including, but not limited to, school-based drug testing, as designed by the recovery high school and approved by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.

The recovery high school approves the student's enrollment in the recovery high school. A determination by the recovery high school not to approve a student's enrollment in the recovery high school may not be appealed to the department.

Approval or disapproval by resident school district.

Within 30 days after a student's parent or guardian submits a written request to the resident school district seeking the student's enrollment in the recovery high school under the program, the resident school district shall issue written notice to the parent or guardian approving or disapproving the request.

Hearing - If a parent or guardian disagrees with a resident school district's disapproval of the student's enrollment in the recovery high school under the program, the following shall apply:

For a student with an IEP, the due process hearing requirements of 22 Pa. Code Ch. 14 (relating to special education services and programs) shall apply.

For a student without an IEP, the resident school district shall follow a notice and hearing process that the department shall develop and post on its publicly accessible Internet website.

If a student's enrollment in the recovery high school under the program is not approved by the student's resident school district or if the student's parent or guardian chooses not to participate in the program established under section 1402-A, the student's parent or guardian may pay the student's tuition to enroll in the recovery high school, provided that the recovery high school has approved the student's enrollment in the recovery high school.